On Thursday, June 25, 2020, the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement is hosting “Justice for Black Lives: Confronting Racial Injustices,” a rally from 5:30-7pm at Athen City Hall.
There have been too many cases of militarized policing and deaths in Athens, for a city of our size, and we demand that Athens Clarke County Government start rethinking how they’re allocating our monetary funds and how to ensure our public safety, especially considering the recent use of teargas on Athens residents.
While at City Hall, participants will engage in a necessary conversation to confront and expose the injustices and inequities in our current system. From the history of slavery to modern-day lynchings, if we want to truly achieve racial justice, we must reveal and address the problems in American that perpetuate police brutality, a corrupt criminal justice system, and oppress people of color.
Organizers will also march to the UGA Arch in memory of Georgia Floyd, Breonna Tyler, Ahmed Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, Tony McDade, Riah Milton, Rem’Mie Fell, and so many others who have died at the hands of police brutality and violence.
We request that the Mayor and Commission consider the following demands below (updated 6/24/2020):
| 1. Delay the vote on the county budget and create a new one using a participatory budget process. 2.Removal of the Confederate Monument on Broad Street 3.Ban choke-holds, strangle holds, and tear gas. 4.Require police officers to give a warning before they shoot. 5.Require that officers have a duty to intervene to stop another officer from using excessive force. 6.Require deescalation and a force continuum. 7.Require that officers exhaust all other reasonable means before resorting to deadly force. 8.Require that officers report each time they use force or threaten to use force against civilians. 9.Establish a meaningful community police advisory board by August 2020. 10.Demand that law enforcement officers are removed from the school system. 11. Set aside funds to mail out absentee ballots applications to all Athens Clarke County registered voters for November elections |
District 1 Commissioner Patrick Davenport: 706-202-4339
District 3 Commissioner Melissa Link: 706-372-3382
District 4 Commissioner Allison Wright: 706-549-3518
District 7 Commissioner Russell Edwards: 706-850-0878
District 8 Commissioner Andy Herod: 706-543-0281
District 9 Commissioner Ovita Thornton: 706-202-4437
District 10 Commissioner Mike Hamby: 706-338-3970
We ask that all attendees be mindful of social distancing and wear masks to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.
Are you aware how much hate you garner destroying art work of American heroes? People who supported you no longer do. You have no respect for anything or anyone. You are a sad lot. Poor you. You are to be pitied for your misguided rants.